War Secretary Pete Hegseth, joined by West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey, presented medals to service members involved in last year’s shooting near the White House.
Army Maj. Ryan Reynolds received the Soldier’s Medal and Air Force Maj. Edwin Stanfield received the Airman’s Medal. Both are part of the West Virginia National Guard. The two guardsmen subdued a man who attacked two other West Virginia Guard members near the White House in November. The attack killed Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and left Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe wounded.
“Thank you for your courage that day. Thank you for your service to this nation,” Hegseth said during the ceremony. “When in that moment, you could have made a number of different choices … you chose action. You chose courage over fear.”
Morrisey said the medals “demonstrate extraordinary heroism, but not just in combat. They demonstrate that heroism when instinct and character take over. I really can speak for the people of the state of West Virginia, who are so appreciative of everything you do.”
Hegseth took a moment during the ceremony to honor Beckstrom. Addressing Beckstrom’s family, he said, “She is not forgotten today—she is not forgotten any day. And it is her memory that stiffens our resolve each and every day.”
Both Beckstrom and Wolfe received Purple Hearts during President Trump’s State of the Union address. “With God’s help, Andrew has battled back from the edge of death. And we’re talking about the edge of death, on his way to a miraculous recovery. He’s got a little work to do, but he’s doing great,” Trump said at the time.
